SPORTS N STUFF

Running back Collins Okafor is back with the Nebraska football team.

Okafor was at practice with the Cornhuskers on Thursday, a day after coach Bo Pelini announced the redshirt freshman had left the team on his own volition.

Okafor did not play in the first two games this season.

Nebraska spokesman Keith Mann confirmed Okafors return. Pelini did not mention Okafors status after practice, and Okafor could not be reached for comment.

Urban Meyer used to spend every offseason with Monte Kiffin.

Beginning in 1996, when Meyer was an assistant at Notre Dame, he would travel to Tampa and visit with Kiffin for at least a day. Meyer would glean all he could from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator, picking his brain about defensive philosophy, coverage schemes and blitz packages.

Meyer continued the trips as head coach at Bowling Green (2001-02), Utah (2003-04) and Florida. Meyer even asked Kiffin to come to Gainesville after the Gators struggled on defense in 2007.

Meyers relationship with Kiffin, now Tennessees defensive coordinator, was good. It also made first-year Tennessee coach Lane Kiffins false recruiting allegations that much more surprising in February.

Actually, yes it did, Meyer said Sunday. Thats one of the only comments Ill make on it. Just because I was fairly close with his father and I just know the way he is. Like I said, thats all over with. Coach Monte Kiffin and myself have a very good relationship.

Meyer and Lane Kiffin might not be so buddy-buddy. It will be a main story line this week as the top-ranked Gators (2-0) and Tennessee (1-1) prepare for their Southeastern Conference opener in Gainesville.

The day after national signing day, Kiffin falsely accused Meyer of a recruiting violation. Kiffin told fans Meyer violated rules by phoning receiver prospect NuKeese Richardson while he was on an official visit at Tennessee. The NCAA and SEC, though, say its not a recruiting violation to contact recruits while they are on official visits to other schools.

Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley rushed to his coachs defense, delivering a quick and harsh response and calling for an apology. SEC commissioner Mike Slive reprimanded Kiffin, who then issued an apology.

The Gators havent forgotten about it, either.

I thought he was a nice guy, guard James Wilson said Sunday night. But I dont know what he was thinking when he said all that. It kind of hit a nerve.

Offensive lineman Matt Patchan called Kiffin a bozo at the teams media day last month, and receiver Riley Cooper said the Gators were looking forward to playing Tennessee more than anyone else because of all the trash talking going on and stuff.

Kiffin also raised eyebrows in Gainesville at his introductory news conference in December. He vowed to end the programs four-game losing streak against Florida.

Kiffin said he was looking forward to … singing Rocky Top all night long after we beat Florida next year. It will be a blast.

Florida blew the quote up and plastered it around the teams facility during offseason workouts. The signs came down when the Gators began fall practice. Nonetheless, Wilson said Kiffins comments have been the talk of the team.

Its all over our locker room, he said. Thats something you dont forget. We just look at it as another thing to back up and just prove him wrong. Thats good motivation for us. Its going to be wild. Were definitely getting ready. Its going to be a show.

Although Meyer acknowledged in March that Kiffins comments fired him up, he has since avoided the topic. He even told his players after Saturdays 56-6 win over Troy not to talk about Kiffin or what happened earlier this year.

Meyer wanted them to focus on the importance of the game, which could be critical in the SEC East.

Its all about winning the East because if you win the East, you get to Atlanta, Meyer said. Look at the 90s and do your homework on this thing. Usually the winner of this game was the team to go to Atlanta. Obviously, Georgia really has a say-so in that now. But the timing of the game and the history of the game has made this rivalry very significant.

Meyer insisted Sunday that the stakes will overshadow Kiffins comments.

To me, thats water under the bridge, a long time ago, Meyer said. Were going to try to move the ball against a very good Tennessee defense and our guys understand that. That has nothing to do with this.

Meyers players seemed to get the message, with many of them refusing to comment on any Tennessee-related questions Saturday.

We have nothing to say, receiver David Nelson said. Thats how its going to be. We try to do our talking on the field. When they watch film, they can see what kind of team we are, what kind of outfit we put out there on the field.

On defense, some of what the Gators do might even be attributed to Monte Kiffin.

He was very hospitable and obviously one of the great coaches in NFL history, Meyer said. He came up here, I believe it was a year and a half ago, after our tough year we had on defense. And he was good enough to spend basically an entire day with us in the meeting rooms and talking football with us. We have a good idea of the fundamentals of his defense. Hes a good person and a great coach.

Bill Snyder agreed to a five-year contract with Kansas State on Friday, giving the 69-year-old coach the opportunity to pull off another reclamation project after the program he built unraveled under Ron Prince.

Snyder will be paid a base salary plus supplemental licensing payments totaling $1.85 million this season, $1.875 million next season, $1.925 million in 2011-12, $1.95 million in 2012-13 and $1.975 million in 2013-14.

Performance incentives could reward Snyder up to an additional $455,000, including $75,000 for winning the Big 12 title game and $250,000 for winning the BCS national championship.

The reason we came to Kansas State was because of the people, we have stayed here all of these years because of the people and our reason for returning was because of the people, Snyder said in a statement Friday.

Snyder compiled a 136-68-1 record over his first 17 seasons – a remarkable turnaround for a program that had won only 130 games the previous 51 years. He retired in November 2005, citing fatigue and the desire to spend more time with his family, only to come back this season.

Coach Snyder is one of the true legends of college football, said first-year athletic director John Currie. My first impression of Kansas State was the toughness and determination of a football team led by Coach Snyder at the 2001 Cotton Bowl, and we are excited about the direction of our football program under his leadership.

Kansas State, which plays a rare nonconference game at Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday, opened its season last weekend with a 21-17 victory over Massachusetts, a sloppy performance that gave Snyder an indication of the work that lay ahead.

As more than 300 former players returned for what was dubbed a family reunion, wearing their jerseys as they lined the sideline, the Wildcats turned the ball over three times and allowed a blocked punt for a touchdown. A record opening crowd of 50,750 watched Kansas State fritter away a big lead before hanging on to win its 21st straight home opener and 18th under Snyder.

Still, the program is in far better shape than Snyder found it, when the relatively unknown offensive coordinator from Iowa promised the greatest turnaround in college football.

Many believe that without Snyder, Kansas State might not be a member of the Big 12 today. When he arrived, the school was 299-510, the only major college with 500 losses. The Wildcats, derisively called the Mildcats by rivals, had enjoyed only two winning seasons in 34 years.

But by 1997, Snyders Wildcats were contending for national as well as conference honors, and hit their high point in 2003, beating Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game.

The success so endeared him to fans across the state that not only was the football stadium named in his honor, so was the highway leading into town.

In addition to his base salary, Snyder will receive the use of a courtesy car and a vehicle stipend of $10,000 annually; access to a suite at Bill Snyder Family Stadium; a country club membership; a family membership at the KSU Rec Complex; eight mens season basketball tickets and four womens season basketball tickets, and four tickets to the Big 12 mens and womens basketball tournaments and, as available, four tickets to NCAA mens and womens basketball tournaments for games in which K-State participates.

Upon the conclusion of Snyders employment as coach, he will continue to be paid $150,000 annually as a special assistant to the athletic director.

We are excited to have Coach Snyder back on the sidelines and leading our football program, Kansas State president Kirk Schulz said. No other coach in America has served his institution with greater dedication and loyalty, and we are confident about the future of K-State football.

Dominique Williams ran for 114 yards and two touchdowns and Tyler Newberry threw for two scores to lead Wagner to a 41-10 win over New York Maritime on Thursday night.

Newberry, who completed 12 of 15 passes for 203 yards, connected with David Crawford for a 49-yard touchdown and Lon Woods for a 45-yard score in the first half to help the Seahawks (1-1) claim a 20-0 lead in the second quarter.

Woods had 104 yards on five catches for Wagner.

The Privateers (1-1) cut the lead to 21-10 in the third after Madison Learys 25-yard field goal and a 12-yard touchdown run by Jamie Spanopoulos, who ran for 114 yards on 27 carries.

But Wagner pulled away in the fourth when Williams, who finished with seven carries, scored on runs of 31 and 63 yards.

The Seahawks held New York Maritime to 17 yards passing for the game.

Rutgers freshman Tom Savage will start at quarterback on Saturday against Howard.

Savage, one of the most highly touted recruits to ever sign with Rutgers, played the entire second half in the Scarlet Knights 47-15 loss to Cincinnati on Monday night. He passed for 135 yards and a touchdown.

Coach Greg Schiano ended two days of noncommittal answers about his starting quarterback by giving the job to Savage on Wednesday.

Tommys going to be the starter, Schiano said. I dont think you make a decision based on just one day, but like I said, Tests count more than quizzes. And we have 12 final exams.

Domenic Natale, a fifth-year senior who threw three interceptions in the first start of his career against Cincinnati, will serve as the backup.

Doms disappointed, but also wants to win, Schiano said. He added that quarterback Jabu Lovelace will continue running the Wildcat package.

Asked if the starting job is Savages for the season, Schiano said, Its Howard right now so thats what I know. Were not going to get ahead of ourselves. We have so much area for improvement. Thats what were trying to focus on right now.

Savage, 19, said he was told of the promotion prior to practice Wednesday.

Its definitely going to be different, said Savage, a star prospect out of Cardinal OHara High in Springfield, Pa.. Im just doing anything Coach tells me to do, and if he says go out there, Im going to go out there. If Coach tells me to play, then I go out there and play.

Schiano said the decision was not based solely on Natales first-half performance against Cincinnati.

It was a lot of things, Schiano said. I dont want to get into everything, but our policy is all things being equal off the field, were going to play the guy we think gives us the best chance to win.

Dan LeFevour was far from a highly touted recruit coming out of his Chicago-area high school, where he ran the double-wing offense.

The quarterback picked up a few Mid-American Conference offers and eventually settled on Central Michigan.

Good choice.

The senior holds every major passing record in school history, and if things go well this year, he could pass a few guys named Chad Pennington, Ben Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich to become the MACs all-time passing yardage leader.

But LeFevours game is about more than just passing. Hes not too bad on the ground, either.

LeFevour and Texas QB Vince Young are the only players in Football Bowl Subdivision history to pass for 3,000 yards and run for 1,000 in the same season. LeFevour pulled off the rare feat in 2007, when his numbers were comparable to fellow dual-threat sophomore and Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow of Florida.

Another 256 yards of total offense and LeFevour becomes the MACs career leader in that category, passing Leftwich of Marshall, now the starter at for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL.

For the 22-year-old from Downers Grove, Ill., its not about the numbers, though.

I dont think thats something Id want to rest my hat on. I want to go out with a MAC championship and have some good team success. That means a lot to me, LeFevour said. If I did something like that (set the MAC records) and didnt carry out the rest of my responsibility here, it wouldnt be worth it.

LeFevours final season got off to a rough start Saturday when he was largely ineffective in a 19-6 loss at Arizona, with 108 yards passing and an interception and 18 rushing and a touchdown.

Things dont get any easier this week, when the Chippewas head 70 miles to the south for a game against Michigan State (1-0).

Spartans coach Mark Dantonio isnt any less worried about what LeFevour could do to his defense.

I can tell you hes a very good quarterback. Hes experienced with a lot of mobility. He can get north and south in a hurry, Dantonio said. You can have everything boxed up, and he can scramble with it.

No one questions LeFevours ability and credentials these days, but four years ago at this time, he was filled with doubt.

I didnt know what I was gonna do, LeFevour remembered. I was just a freshman hanging on by a thread.

He made more than a few calls to West Virginia wide receivers coach Butch Jones, who as an assistant at Central recruited LeFevour.

I think he went through the normal struggles that a freshman does and questioned himself, said Jones, who currently is in his third year as Central Michigans coach. We probably talked once every two weeks, maybe once every month hed call. … Hed want to go home, or `Coach, I want to be with you. Ill transfer there. Just the nights of talking and `You need to stick it out. Youre going to be OK.

I think its a credit to his perseverance and his family. They wouldnt let him leave.

LeFevours first college game came during the 2006 season opener against Boston College on a Thursday night when starter Brian Brunner was hurt on the second play from scrimmage.

LeFevour played well and nearly pulled off the upset against Matt Ryan and the Eagles.

The rest is history. Just being a part of his life … has really been rewarding – to watch him mature and flourish, Jones said.

LeFevours work on the field has been rewarding not just for the football program and its fans, but also for the school itself.

The Mount Pleasant university simply isnt accustomed to having an athlete of LeFevours stature on campus. Sure, future NBA standout Dan Majerle made a name for himself at Central, but on the gridiron, LeFevours as good as it gets.

The school even paid to have a 30-foot by 60-foot billboard featuring LeFevour placed on the back of the Comerica Park scoreboard in Detroit. The oversized advertisements visible to those entering both the Tigers ballpark and Ford Field across the street.

Its pretty cool. Im not going to lie, LeFevour said. But at the same time, its not a billboard about me or about football. Its promoting the school. With tuition being raised every year – especially with the economy in Michigan being not very good – I think CMUs been pretty wise with how theyve spent their advertising money.

LeFevour has through the end of the year to secure the rest of his legacy at Central before beginning a process that he hopes will allow him to join those other MAC greats in having his name called at the NFL draft.

Its a dream, but Im not looking too much further than the next three or four months, he said.

Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford is not expected to need surgery on his sprained right shoulder and the quarterback could play again for No 3 Oklahoma in two to four weeks.

Everyones different in how they heal, the soreness, how they handle it and how quickly it dissipates where he can move and be comfortable again throwing the ball, Stoops said after the Sooners practice Monday. Anywhere from two to four weeks is what were anticipating.

Stoops said the initial evaluations by doctors showed that Bradford did not suffer any damage to his collarbone, rotator cuff or other parts of his shoulder when he sprained his AC joint just before halftime in Oklahomas 14-13 loss to No. 20 BYU on Saturday. Those evaluations also did not suggest surgery, although another doctors opinion is due in on Tuesday.

In my mind, thats completely out. Thats probably a little biased because obviously I want to be out there playing, Bradford said. After that opinion does come in, I probably will have to sit down with the coaches and my family one more time just to make sure that getting back out there is the right decision for me.

Stoops said he expected to make an announcement Tuesday on the status of second-team All-America tight end Jermaine Gresham, who missed the BYU game with cartilage damage in his right knee.

Bradford said he spoke Sunday with New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who had a bruised AC joint during his teams run to the Super Bowl two years ago. Bradford has been told he has a Grade 3 sprain. He already started rehabbing Sunday, trying to improve the range of motion in his shoulder.

It does feel a lot better today, not nearly as painful as it was Saturday, Bradford said. Hopefully I can keep progressing like this.

Bradford has also received get-well wishes from the quarterbacks who finished second and third in last years Heisman Trophy balloting.

Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, who became friends with Bradford during the Heisman festivities last December and then while rooming together at the Manning Camp for high school players over the summer, said Monday he sent his Sooners counterpart a text message.

I told him Id be praying for him and hope that he gets better soon. … I wish him the speediest recovery possible, McCoy said. I hope that he gets back and plays as soon as he can, whether thats for us or next week. I want him to be able to play because hes a great football player.

Floridas Tim Tebow, who won the 2007 Heisman and finished third last year, called it a tough injury.

Obviously, no one wants him to get hurt. No one wants that, said Tebow, whose Gators beat Bradfords Sooners 24-14 for the BCS title in January. We wish that he has a speedy recovery and gets back to playing. He came back for his (junior) year to do some great things, so I wish that he could come back and play it, too.

Bradford was considered a potential No. 1 overall pick in this years NFL draft before he decided instead to return for his junior year at Oklahoma, with his primary goal to win the national championship he narrowly missed a year earlier.

Only one game into the season, that dream is in jeopardy.

I dont know if I can really put that into words, how big of a disappointment it is, Bradford said. But thats in the past now. Theres nothing I can do about that. Theres nothing we as a team can do about that game.

Now, Bradfords task is to serve as a mentor to redshirt freshman Landry Jones, who made his college debut while replacing the Heisman winner. He led five second-half drives, leading to a single field goal, as the Sooners struggled with undisciplined play and penalties.

I thought Landry did a great job in the second half, carried himself great with his demeanor. Everything he did, I thought he handled it as well as you could expect and better, Stoops said. Believe me, in the game, I thought his execution and what he did was good.

He needed supported in a better way. He needed some guys around him not making penalties and dropping the ball.

Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount called Boise State defensive end Byron Hout and coach Chris Petersen to apologize for the punch he threw following Thursdays game between the two teams.

Blount and Ducks coach Chip Kelly made the conciliatory phone call on Saturday. A spokesman for Oregon confirmed it took place, but would not discuss what was said.

Blount punched Hout in the jaw following the 16th-ranked Ducks 19-8 loss to the 14th-ranked Broncos on Thursday night. Hout was knocked to his knees.

On Friday, Kelly suspended Blount for the rest of the season, effectively ending his career at Oregon. Blount will remain on scholarship and be allowed to practice with the team, but will not play in games or a bowl.

Saturdays apology was first reported by The Register-Guard newspaper in Eugene and ESPN. Blount had apologized after the game when he spoke with reporters.

I just apologize to everyone that was watching this, ESPN, national TV. I just apologize to all of our fans, all of Boises fans, he said. It was just something that I shouldnt have done. I lost my head.

Hout yelled in Blounts face and tapped him on the shoulder pad before catching the right to the jaw. Petersen was trying to pull Hout away when he was hit.

Oregon president Richard Lariviere called Blounts actions reprehensible. Oregon athletic director Mike Bellotti, who stepped aside after 14 years as head coach of the Ducks this summer, called the punch an egregious error.

Boise States Petersen was not available for comment on Sunday. He was scheduled to speak on the WAC coaches conference call on Monday.

Kelly also was unavailable for comment on Sunday.

Blount was expected to practice with the Ducks on Monday, however, he will not allowed to speak to the media.

Safety Nick Sukay hasnt played a down of college football, so its quite an accomplishment that hes secured a starting job at No 9 Penn State.

Hes not the only rookie starter in Happy Valley. With the Nittany Lions debuting a new secondary in the season opener Saturday against Akron, Penn State fans are wondering just how theyll hold up against the pass.

Zips coach J.D. Brookhart thinks the newcomers will do just fine.

I know they have questions marks, or they appear to have question marks in the secondary, but they have five-star players who just havent played a lot of football yet, Brookhart said this week.

Thats especially true of Sukay, a highly recruited prospect in 2007 from western Pennsylvania. After redshirting a year, he missed all of 2008 because of right foot surgery.

Sukay also has been hampered by shoulder pain, but hes healthy again and is seizing the opening created by the departure of last years starter, Mark Rubin.

Well, Sukay has been hurt a lot, so it appears hes come out of nowhere, which really hasnt been accurate, Penn State coach Joe Paterno said. Hes always had tremendous potential … So hes never really had the opportunity to show what he can do.

Last years fifth defensive back, sophomore Drew Astorino, takes over at free safety, while senior Knowledge Timmons and sophomore DAnton Lynn are the new cornerbacks.

At least for now, while Paterno decides what to do with senior A.J. Wallace. Hes arguably the teams most talented defensive back, though he found a spot in Paternos infamous doghouse this preseason for cutting classes.

Paterno said last month that Wallace might miss the first two games of the year as punishment. JoePa softened his stance this week and said Wallace may play Saturday after the cornerback achieved certain grades and abided by other rules he set.

After Wallace, Penn State is otherwise young or even more inexperienced in the secondary. They could be tested by a veteran Akron offense that features a third-year starter in QB Chris Jacquemain and four returning receivers.

Theres been a lot of talk about us. We have to go prove ourselves, Astorino said. Theres going to be mistakes made … but were going to work harder.

They should also benefit from a solid front seven.

Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley doesnt like to blitz, so the D-line will be counted on to pressure the quarterback, and the impressive linebacking corps must contain the running game and cover short passing routes.

Top outside linebackers Sean Lee and Navorro Bowman have shown plenty of ability to handle those jobs.

Factor in returning middle linebacker Josh Hulls experience and quality depth in Bani Gbadyu and Nathan Stupar, and its easy to see why Paterno hadnt even decided on who might play nickel back earlier this week.

If our linebackers can play the way we think, and they can be outside linebackers that can walk away from the line of scrimmage and help on the pass game, we may not use a nickel, Paterno said. A lot will depend on how a couple kids in the secondary come along.

NOTE: Reserve linebacker Jon Ditto is no longer with the Nittany Lions, and the team did not say why. A team spokesman said Thursday it appeared Ditto would stay at the university as a student. The sophomore from Monroeville was buried on the depth chart at the teams deepest position.

When Butch Davis coached at Miami, his defenses werent shy about telling opponents how good they were.

Linebacker Quan Sturdivant sees signs that his North Carolina team is developing a similar self-confidence.

Were going out there, trying to get a little bit of a swagger, Sturdivant said with a wry smile.

Now the Tar Heels hope to give themselves something to brag about. They bring back an Atlantic Coast Conference-best nine starters from last year – but that unit ranked 11th in the league in total defense, was next-to-last against the pass and gave up huge chunks of yards at inopportune times.

North Carolina gave up at least 300 yards in each of its last five games last season, a major reason why they were 2-3 down the stretch. Three of those foes – Georgia Tech, North Carolina State and West Virginia in the Meineke Bowl – cracked 400 yards.

Consistency – there were pieces of the defense that played brilliantly, Davis said. There were games that we created turnovers. There were games that we played extremely well against the run. There were games we played extremely well against teams that threw the ball. Weve got to put those kinds of games together for 60 minutes.

—

UP SPILLERS ALLEY: Clemson star C.J. Spiller has bowling on his mind. But this time, it involves an alley and pins, not a game on New Years Day.

Spiller says he enjoys bowling, goes about once every two weeks and carries a 150 average.

I need to get it up if I want to on the big stage, Spiller said with a smile.

Spillers already reached the big stage in college football. Hes had 12 touchdowns of 50-yards or longer. Half of those scores have been for at least 80 yards. He was a preseason all-ACC pick at running back and as a return specialist.

Too bad Clemson doesnt have a bowling team or Spiller, who also ran track at Clemson, might have been a three-sport athlete for the Tigers.

—

FRANK FRANK: Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer is one of the winningest active coaches in the country, and that status surely give him some standing among fellow coaches.

The Hokies open against No. 5 Alabama in Atlanta in a game that will help the winner – probably more than it should, he said, because the preseason polls cant help but be artificial with no results yet.

All of us would be better served if we probably started that poll later on, he said. It makes for good summertime reading, but I think the accuracy of it would probably be better if we waited a while. See what kind of team youve got this year.

Beamer also said he plans to lobby hard to try and get the NCAA to allow for an exhibition game for colleges.

In college, you play an opponent, and thats the first time youve hit somebody else other than your own team, he said. I dont know why we wouldnt do something like that.

—

RODDY OR NOT: Georgia Tech running back Roddy Jones has missed most of the preseason practice schedule while recovering from a dislocated wrist. He finally joined contact drills this week but with so little time to prepare he might seem unlikely to play in Saturdays opener against Jacksonville State.

Even so, coach Paul Johnson isnt ruling Jones out.

Roddy Jones is available if we want to play him, Johnson said before adding he may make a game-time decision on the sophomore.

Physically, he can go if we need to have him, Johnson said.

Jones rushed for 214 yards in last years 45-42 win over Georgia and finished the season as the Yellow Jackets third-leading rusher. Junior Jonathan Dwyer, the 2008 ACC player of the year, is expected to again be the featured back.

Georgia Tech lists sophomore Embry Peeples and junior Anthony Allen as the starters at A-back, where Jones started last season.

—

MY CAPTAIN(S): For the first time in his nine-year stint as Marylands head coach, Ralph Friedgen had his players elect team captains.

The Terrapins lost 30 seniors from last seasons team, making leadership a concern. So Friedgen had his juniors and seniors vote for two captains on offense and two on defense, and to enhance the process he had the foursome swear in on a Bible.

The 2009 captains are quarterback Chris Turner, offensive lineman Phil Costa, cornerback Nolan Carroll and linebacker Adrian Moten. All are seniors except Moten, who is a junior

Picking those four captains kind of told the whole team: These are the guys we want you to look up to, these are the guys to set an example, Carroll said.

—

KICKING AROUND: Florida State freshman Dustin Hopkins has a lot in common with another Seminoles kicker who was asked to make a difference immediately upon arrival.

Hopkins will be the Seminoles field goal kicker in his first collegiate game, against archrival Miami in a nationally televised game Monday night when the two schools renew a series where national titles were decided on kicks – mostly missed ones.

Coach Bobby Bowdens 1993 team had highly touted freshman Scott Bentley, who had graced national magazine covers upon his arrival.

Times have changed: Hopkins has been muzzled by coaches as part of a new Florida State edict that puts freshmen off limits to the media until theyve done something – at least in the coaches opinion.

Hopkins replaces Graham Gano, whos with the Baltimore Ravens.